Special Chronicles
by 1358456
Summary: A story based on Pokémon Special, the manga. A compilation of backstories of various characters that are assumed to have happened prior to any of my other stories. Includes backstories of Blue, Sabrina, Platinum, my array of created characters who make cameo appearances every now and then, among others.
1. In Utter Darkness

**Welcome to my very last story beginning with "Special". Or at least as far as I know. To put it simply, this is a compilation of various backstories that will be assumed to have already taken place prior to all the other stories. So reading this may help understand the minor references and/or miscellaneous events.**

**And before going any further, read EVERYTHING on my profile page. If you have a complaint about something, I will give you a 90% guarantee that it was already addressed on the profile page and/or my Tumblr blog, which is also listed in the profile page. The "story" tag in the Tumblr blog helps out. If you can't find the solution to your complaint, then feel free to say it. And I will answer it on the Tumblr blog, and if I feel it's worth clearing up, I will post that solution/explanation on the profile page. So… Read. The. Profile.**

**This chapter is designed for one thing: clearing up Blue's personality. Blue's personality is rather "inconsistent" in my stories, as she has several distinct characteristics. So this chapter has been made to show what I assume Blue had gone through, from the kidnapping to the "status quo" time period. The third part of the triple-Blue. Check my Tumblr.**

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><p>In Utter Darkness:<p>

Ecruteak City, Johto…

The Ho-oh swooped down towards the roof of the Tin Tower and dropped off a little girl, Blue. The 5 year old girl looked around in panic, seeing nothing more than masked figures approaching her. This one with a huge cloak approached her menacingly, causing her to tremble and back away. Some of the other figures surrounded her, preventing her from trying to escape. Blue could only watch in terror as the masked man put a similar looking mask on her face. He started to laugh as he backed away.

Blue desperately tried to think of a way out of this. But suddenly, someone appeared in her vision, running up to her. A much younger looking boy. He had a mask on too, but he still looked so scared, and he was reached up to her for support. She quickly embraced him when he came close. He was clearly looking up to her for help, so she was going to provide it. From this point on, she would look after him and together, they would survive this…

…

The Mask of Ice created a long stick made of ice. Blue saw the stick form and immediately flinched, as she knew what was coming. And as expected, the man struck the 6 year old girl on the arm with the stick.

"Ah!"

"How many times do I have to tell you?!" the Mask of Ice yelled. "Do not get attached to your Pokémon! They are mere tools of war! They will be used for their potential and nothing more. They will fight as you command. They will take hits as you command. And they will break. And they will be replaced with another. So don't get attached!"

Blue clenched her eyes shut and bit her lower lip so she wouldn't cry. Her arm hurt a lot and she was so scared… but she had to stand firm.

"Don't get attached to anything! Pokémon will be lost and replaced. Friends will hinder you and must be abandoned or they will be used against you. Family will only drag you down. So don't get attached to anything! Ever! Remember that the only being you can trust is yourself."

Eventually, the training session ended and Blue was able to return to her "room" where she would be able to stay in solitude. She curled up into a ball and tried to organize her thoughts. … She wanted to go home. Where was it called? Pallet Town? Kanto? …

As she tried to stay calm and work on recovering her memories, she heard a faint sniffle from the outside. She blinked a few times to return to "reality". That sniffle sounded very young… But she was the second youngest here. Meaning…

Blue opened the door and spotted Silver slowly walking while rubbing his eyes. She called him Silver because his eyes were silver in color, but he had a handkerchief that said "Silver" on it, so that was clearly his name. For a 3 year old, he didn't cry as much. But he still did every now and then, like he was now. Blue sighed and gently embraced the child and pulled him into her cell/room. She sat on the floor with him and patted him on the shoulders.

"I hate it here," Silver muttered. "I want to go home."

Blue felt tears welling in her eyes, but couldn't let them fall. She bit her lower lip and forced herself to not cry. For the sake of Silver. If she cried now, he'd feel worse… she had to cheer him up.

"We all want to go home," she said quietly. "And someday, we will. Until then, we have to bide our time… We have to endure this…"

"But I'm scared," the little boy said as he started to cry more.

Blue felt her tears streaming down her cheeks behind the mask she had to wear. She berated herself for being so weak and tilted her head slightly so that Silver wouldn't be able to see her cry. Not that he could, since he was crying himself and the masks covered up the tears.

"I know," Blue managed to say without having her voice shake. She simply hugged the little boy closer. He was her only care in the world. And vice versa. So she had to be there with him for his own good. She had to help him…

Silver buried his face into Blue's shoulder and cried. The girl gently patted him on the back and with her fingers, wiped away her own tears from behind his head. She clenched her teeth and glared at the icy wall. She would survive this… just for Silver. If she wasn't here either, he had absolutely no one left to rely on.

…

Blue stared at her own reflection on the small puddle of water on the ground. … 7 years old. So it's been 2 years since she was kidnapped. … And she had lost hope of escaping and returning to her family. She missed them so much, even though she couldn't remember them. She recalled having them and found solace and misery in knowing that they would be looking for her. Solace in that she had someone looking for her, caring for her. And misery in that she was causing them pain. They wouldn't find her. It was all pointless.

She stared up at the sky. The clear cloudless sky. People would usually say that looking at the clear sky would give them hope. Hope? What hope?

Blue let out a long sigh. Sometimes, she wished that she didn't have any parents. At least knowing that no one else was miserable thanks to her kidnapping would've given her comfort.

Everything seemed so… dull. Devoid of life. Pointless. In the end, everything was pointless. A happy life would only make the oncoming sadness feel a lot worse.

Blue stopped her thoughts when she spotted Silver in the distance. He didn't cry anymore. He stopped a few months ago. Something inside him either broke, or he kept all of his feelings pent up. Like her. … That wasn't good. Not for someone his age. Or her age, for that matter, but she had already given up on herself. It was too late for her to have a normal life now… But maybe it wasn't too late for Silver. If he escaped quickly enough, all of the memories of the kidnapping might be erased over time.

Blue bit her lower lip again. There it was then. Her only purpose. She had to get him away from this place. She had to help him escape. But he wouldn't be able to go far all alone. So she had to escape with him. If she had to escape as well, then she had to put up a cheerful façade around Silver. So he'd think that she still had hope. Which would get him to hold onto his own hopes.

…

9 years old… So it's been 4 years since the kidnapping. And 2 years since she maintained her cheerful façade for Silver's sake. And because Silver was with her almost every waking hour of the day, she didn't know what was her real self and what was the façade she created anymore. But she didn't care. Once she escaped captivity with Silver, she'd help him find his family. And then she'd disappear and sort out her own life.

Silver had changed. And that bothered her. He became very quiet, and calmly assessed everything going on. He still had occasional recklessness, but not as much as a 6 year old boy should have. And that really bothered Blue. Was it too late? She had decided that things were too late for her when she was 6. And now, Silver was 6. Did he give up on himself too? Did she stall too long in trying to make a perfect escape?

Blue shook her head. No. She can't be too late. If Silver gave up on his life, then she had no purpose either. And she could not let him turn out like her. Ever. If he lost hope, she'd give him hope. If he gave up, she'd give him reason to keep fighting…

And she had to hurry. She had to escape before things were too late. But at least she had a plan. A plan that took 2 years in the making. A plan that was formulated from studying the Mask of Ice for 2 years straight. All of his routines, all of his schedules. And what he was aiming for. Of course, Blue didn't know his goals for sure, but she could make a rough guess. Control of time. With two large feathers, known as the Rainbow and Silver Wings. She didn't know _how_ two feathers allowed someone to control time, but she didn't care. She'd steal them as a last minute middle finger to the Mask of Ice before she escaped.

Blue calmed herself down and went to find Silver. It was time. Time to escape. This was the exact moment when the Mask of Ice was the most worn out from his routines. His special routines that he took for his ultimate goal. It was now or never.

Of course, it was possible that he took extra precaution around this time. After all, he was the one who taught her to be prepared for anything. So he could have some sort of defense system that prevented people from escaping. Only one way to find out. Even if her plans failed and she was killed, she would be happy as long as Silver got out.

…

Blue stared at Silver. Finally, she could see him without the mask. And she could see his cold complexion. … Was she really too late? Perhaps. But at the same time, Silver's expression significantly lightened whenever he was with her. So she had to stay cheerful and happy around him. And maybe eventually, he would lower his guard and start to accept hope.

"Alright! It's time for us to start living in the outside world," she said with a faked cheerful tone.

"What should we do first?" Silver asked.

Blue grimaced a little. This wasn't the kind of a question a kid asked his guardian. This wasn't one of those "hopeful" questions. He wasn't asking what fun things he should do now that he's free. No. He was asking what he should do to survive right now. He was being practical. Not something a normal 7 year old boy does. … Or at least that's what she figured. She had never been around normal people, so…

"We need to find where you lived before you were kidnapped, Silver," Blue said warmly. "We need to get you back home."

"I don't remember anything," Silver said without even blinking. "So I have no reason to go to them."

Blue felt tears threatening to form in her eyes. '_Ah… I was too late…_' "In that case…" She bit her lower lip for a split second. "… Stay with me, Silver. I don't remember who I was before the kidnapping either. And right now, neither of us are in any condition to start digging up our past. So for the time being, we should focus on finding a place to live and getting money so we can buy food and water."

Silver slowly nodded. "Okay. I think we should make hidden bases around various locales. That way, we can live undeterred by anyone else and that way, we won't be spotted."

Blue faked a smile even though she was feeling so much remorse from Silver's change. Fine. If this had to happen, then she couldn't let him do the dirty work. Getting money in the world wasn't going to be easy. Obviously jobs were out of the question. So stealing and begging were the only options. Blue sighed. She won't let Silver turn into a thief. No. He had to have a bright future. She would do the dirty work for him. Even if everyone in the world hated her for this, she had to make sure Silver did not get any of the blame… Silver had to remain pure… clean…

She had the advantage. She could use charm. He could not. So she'd be able to trick people and scam them if the right opportunity presented itself. Blue gently patted Silver on the shoulder.

"… Let's get started, then. Silver, try to make our shelter. I'll… get the money that we can use…"

…

Blue looked up at the sky. Something that she did every now and then to collect her thoughts. The skies were cloudless and bright. The symbols of hope. … Hope… and bright life. She wondered if those things were out there for her. She never gave them any thought as she had given up on them years ago. But now, for the first time in her life, she had reason for hope.

And this was only because she met _him_. Red. At first, she treated him like she treated everyone else. False interest, fake tears, charm, and steal from him without second thought. Normally, she'd just steal without using people's emotions against them. But Red… was different. She envied him so much. While she was kidnapped and forced through hell, he lived peacefully in his home. And he even received a Pokédex and went out on a journey. … She wanted to live like that. So she stole a Squirtle and _mimicked_ the journey. Mainly by following Red so that she could at least feed off of his adventures. She'd never feel the joy of being trusted like that, but she could watch someone else enjoy it and just… envy that. But then he caught up with her for her thefts and let her go thanks to his sense of pride and honor. She used that to her advantage and stole from him again. But then he helped her against Team Rocket. Even though she basically forced him to help her, he still did and didn't try to attack her for what she did.

… And in the continued fight against Team Rocket, he actually called her a friend. … Friend. Hearing that brought a sudden change in her life. And her views of the world. A stranger had called her a friend. Someone who had more reason to hate her than most called her a friend and protected her. … Maybe he was the key. He was her only method of living a normal life. She had to stay friends with him…

Then Prof. Oak forgave her for stealing a Squirtle from him, and even gave her a Pokédex. … Someone had finally trusted her with something. Another new feeling. And at that moment, she finally cried in front of people, for the first time in years.

From that point on, she noticed a few changes to herself. Reasons to smile, reasons to fight evil, reasons to hope and live. And even… someone to love. No, it wasn't Red. It was Green. Of course, he didn't seem to give a rat's ass about her. But he treated her as an ally and nothing more. And for the time being, that would have to do.

Once her life had settled down, she began to actively try to regain her old life and started to seek out her parents. Of course, this was harder than it appeared. And in the meantime, her first friend had disappeared. So she did all she could to find him. Running into Yellow, sending her on a journey and then overlooking her progress… all that to find her old friend. He meant a lot to her, and she owed him everything.

And once things have settled again, she resumed her task. A personal task that was divided up into two main sections and the conclusion. One, take revenge against the Mask of Ice. And two, overcome her phobia of birds. That way, she could put her ugly past behind her and look forward to a new life.

She succeeded in her task after a long journey. And she had her revenge along with Silver. And there, she felt truly happy. Happy that she now had so many people to call friends. Happy that she had people who looked up to her as a senior. And happy that Silver had finally found friends of his own.

Now she only had one more thing to do to set everything right. She had to find her parents.

But of course, that wasn't as easy as she thought. She first felt her old bad luck returning when her parents were kidnapped right in front of her while she watched helplessly. She passed out and when she woke up, she was chased by an angry mob out of the hospital without even knowing why. She was reminded of her days right after escaping Mask of Ice. She had to evade people who hated her for things that weren't necessarily her fault.

But she was used to it. Even though she couldn't even walk straight and random people were basically trying to kill her, she didn't feel anything she never felt before. She accepted her life for what it was.

After another hectic event, she was about to reunite with her parents but was turned into stone instead. And when she woke up from that, she was caught in another hectic event. Though she was happy that she had met more of her juniors, she still had to finish her last objective in life. And that one… was a disappointment.

Her parents… were not what she expected. At all. She understood them, of course. They lost a 5 year old daughter. And that daughter came back as a 17 year old girl who had been through all sorts of stuff. So she could understand the awkwardness, unfamiliarity, and shock that her parents were feeling. She admitted that she wasn't behaving like a normal 17 year old girl. No. She had matured way too much and way too early.

And she hated being treated like a kid. Because the only person who had ever treated her like that was the Mask of Ice. And now, her parents were doing the same. Obviously, she was going to hate them. But she tried to be reasonable and hoped that her parents would start to accept her. They didn't.

And little by little, she began to realize that the cheerful expression she kept on around the other Dex Holders was a façade. Like the one she had in front of Silver years ago to ensure that he held onto his hopes. But now, it was for the good of the other Dex Holders. And whenever she was left alone, she thought about her past and her present. … She sure came a long way. It would be selfish of her to want anything more. Normal life was now impossible as a Dex Holder. Normal parents were impossible as well, thanks to the kidnapping. And a normal personal life was also impossible because of herself.

So Blue gave up on hope once more. She deemed that everything she wanted was just greed and forced herself to accept what she had, as things were still incomparably better than her past. But things kept deteriorating.

Silver had reunited with his father at long last after a grueling fight against rogue Team Rocket and Arceus. She was happy for him, but at the same time, afraid of his reactions, knowing that the enemy's boss was his father. But luckily, Giovanni treated Silver with respect and did nothing that would go directly against him. The Rocket leader's paternal care was overflowing. Blue understood. The man had lost his only son, and did everything in his power to get him back. He tried to take over the world so that he could find his son faster. He took control of an incredibly powerful Psychic type to find his son. And once he finally found him, he sacrificed his own wellbeing to protect him. His own health deteriorated even more as an expense but he never mentioned it. And once Silver made his position clear, Giovanni respected his choice. Something that Blue envied so much…

Every time she felt envy, she reminded herself that it was just her greed. The very notion of envying someone was just her being greedy. She berated herself repeatedly and did her best to steer her thoughts away. Her life was still better than the days under the Mask of Ice.

The other Dex Holders weren't exactly helping her out. While she felt friendship and care from them (most of the time), she hated how they all suspected her for everything. Every time she tried to help someone, she was suspected of gaining something first. She could barely handle her friends doing that to her. Just barely. But… Green did it too. And that was too painful.

She had already concluded that her crush on him was just her greed. Which was why she never explicitly said it to him. She accepted that he would eventually fall in love with someone else. It was very painful, but she accepted it. She would just have to be happy with being a friend. And yet, he kept thinking that she was being greedy…

She had concluded that wanting someone to care for her was just her being selfish. She wanted someone to look after her, worry about her, and comfort her in times of need. Similar to how she was caring for Silver, but more deeply and more intimately. But no. That kind of care was denied to her. And she accepted it. No one would care for her, and she'd just be alone forever. Fine. She never had someone like that anyways. She could go on longer like this.

But every time the other Dex Holders (especially Green) thought and hinted that she was being greedy, she got the urge to disappear and stick a knife in her throat. It was a mix of shame and anger. Shame for having the others see and point out something that she was already berating herself with, and anger from the others not understanding her. She had already given up in making her own life better, and resorted to helping out others to distract herself. How was that being greedy? Why did they still suspect her? … Why did Green still suspect her?

She wanted him to be happy. To do that, she had to stay happy around him. If she did not hide her true feelings, then she'd just be making everyone around her feel down. So she tried to stay cheerful. Keep that façade up. But it was hard. Faking hope before even having it was one thing. Faking hope after losing it all again was another. So she needed to feel truly happy as her façade wouldn't last. And to do that, she needed to spend more time with Green. Be close to him. And feed on that tiny hope that he would like her too.

But that was just her stupidity and naivety. Every time she saw him, he showed no signs of welcoming her. If anything, he appeared annoyed at her presence. Every time she visited him, his response was the same.

"What do you want, Blue?"

'_I just want to spend time with you… is that so wrong? Is everything I do so wrong and annoying?_'

Before long, Blue stopped trying. She stopped visiting him, as she couldn't handle it any longer. Her façade couldn't last forever.

And before she knew it, she stopped visiting anyone else. She was afraid to see them again. Afraid that they'll call her greedy or selfish and give her another push towards sticking a knife in her throat. Of course, they never said it, but they didn't have to. She could tell what they were thinking. What they felt about her. Attention seeker, attention hog, selfish, greedy, annoying…

Blue couldn't understand them. How was she being an attention seeker and an attention hog when here she was, purposely hiding all the miseries in her life so that she wouldn't bother anyone? She was losing her friends. The longer she spent away from them, the more they'd drift away from her. But if she got close to them, she'd feel them thinking that she was being annoying or greedy and selfish. And she'd lose them faster. One way or the other, she'd lose them. How quickly was up to her.

Blue simply lived her life, day by day, without thinking about it. It was better for her. Ignorance was bliss, as they say, and she wanted to be happy. Occasionally, she looked up at the sky and wondered if this was what she had fought for. What she had escaped for. Technically, she escaped only for Silver's sake, but she did have a faint sliver of hope that she would be happy too. … But was this really it? Blue didn't want to think about it because it was painful. And because of that, she didn't know why she was still here. Waiting. For something to come into her life, whether it was good or bad. She stared at her reflection through the mirror. She admitted that she looked cold. But it was her default expression whenever she was alone, when her façade wasn't up.

What was she waiting for? … Only two things could come for her. Either something really bad would happen and convince her to throw away everything in life and vanish, or something really good would happen which would get her to actually start enjoying life and look forward to a better future. Until then, everything was in a standstill. Her life had no purpose. And she had nothing to look forward to. But at the same time, things were maintainable… barely. She found just enough in life to continue with it. It was a delicate balance.

But it also meant that her life was pointless. She had no goals in life. There was nothing more she could ask for without thinking that it was pure greed. Only her foolishness and naïve hopes have kept her here. Until she finally decided to throw it all away and vanish. Or until she finally found a reason to stay and look forward to a better future.

Blue looked up at the sky and sighed. Why couldn't she just leave? What kept her bound to her pointless life? All she had to do was go and tell Green how she felt. Confess to him. And his reactions would show her the way. If he loved her too, then she had more than enough reasons to stay and fight towards a bright life. If he did not, then she had her incentive to simply leave her old life behind completely. Because things would then be way too awkward between them, and she wouldn't be able to stay around him at all because of it. Not that she was particularly close to him right now. She still had a sliver of hope that one day, she would be. If she failed her confession, that hope would be gone.

But she didn't confess to him. She couldn't. Why? It was simple. She got too attached. She was afraid of losing everything. Afraid of being forced to abandon everything. And she was afraid of getting her heart broken. She didn't want to be plunged into utter darkness. Not again. She knew that she was already heading there slowly. But she didn't want to risk accelerating it.

And… she was certain that he did not like her. She couldn't confess to him because he would reject her with a 99.99% certainty. And she didn't know if her heart could handle being broken once more.

Blue put on a bitter smile as she berated her inability to do anything. … What did Pryce tell her all those years ago? Don't get attached. Well, this happened because she didn't listen to his advice. She was still too attached to everyone and she didn't have nearly enough courage to cut loose.

… Maybe soon, she'll find a reason to cut loose. Or maybe she'll find a reason to grab onto it with all of her strength… hopefully. But until then, she had to maintain her cheerful façade to the best of her abilities.

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><p><strong>Dark? Yes (hence the title). But this is the "basis" of all of Blue's variants in S-EARLY.<strong>

**Bottom line: Blue's life is in a state of balance where the slightest disruption would change her views on life. She currently has too little happiness to want to stay in her current life, yet she has too much to just throw it all away. As such, she's waiting for a change. SL's Blue is the one where the "bad change" occurred. The one that was mentioned. It's where Blue finally decides to throw it all away, which led to her rampancy. And SY's is the one where the "good change" occurred. The one where Blue finally found a reason to continue, where she finally found happiness. All the others are in the "waiting" stages. The façade with occasional lapses.**

**Here, all of Blue's "starting location" for all of the other stories can be seen. The most recent DE update (DE #007) being right before the point where she stops trying to be with Green. Most of SE and DE being some time before she stops trying. SA and SR's ones being before she tries to be with Green and no one else and while her cheerful façade is up and running. And SL's one just slightly before she stops trying with everyone else. SY's one is special, and it occurs way after the "status quo", assuming the "good ending" occurred.**

**Still think my interpretation of Blue's personality is bull crap? Check the Tumblr blog post for a detailed analysis.**

**Now, because this is a random compilation of backstories, it has no reason to be continuously updated. Once the backstory pool runs dry, it will be abandoned until another backstory pops up. So keep that in mind. The pool is currently populated, so no worries yet.**

**Is this story not what you were expecting? "Not another random compilation, 135! And especially not something that won't be updated! I want something like SA!" So, were you expecting some Dex Holder vs. evil story? Well, then. Good news, everyone! Coming VERY soon! … 1 to 3 days. It doesn't start with "Special" so my statement on the very top of this document still holds.**


	2. Confrontation

**I WAS supposed to update a Sabrina chapter, but this one finished first. So… here you go.**

**Once again, this chapter is all about Blue, as advertised in Destiny. And basically her actions after the HGSS arc regarding the return of Pryce.**

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><p>Confrontation:<p>

Blue simply stared at the sign of the Gym. Mahogany Town Gym. … She knew this day would come someday… and _he_ probably did as well.

The moment she entered the Gym, an assistant walked up to her to greet and inform her about the Gym's gimmicks. But an ice cold glare from her sent him scurrying for his life.

The Gym's interior was pretty cold. But it didn't match Blue's iciness inside. She simply walked forward, walking across the polished ice floor without slipping an inch. She was used to walking on ice.

The handful of trainers there tried to stop her and battle her, but she shoved them out of the way. One tried extra hard to stop her, and she ended up slamming his face into the ice. Eventually, Blue managed to reach her destination. Pryce's room.

When she opened the door, she spotted the old man in the corner of the room, carefully crafting an ice sculpture. He looked up at her and a mix of emotions flashed across his wrinkled face.

"… I had a feeling you would come," he said after a short sigh. "I was waiting for this."

Blue simply kept her icy glare. This man was responsible for the state of her life. Everything… But at the same time, she owed him everything as well. Her knowledge, talent, and skills all came from him. … She really didn't know what to do or say.

"… Did Silver tell you?" Pryce asked as he got his wheelchair to approach her.

"Do you think I wouldn't know about you if he didn't tell me?" Blue retorted.

The old man smiled. "Of course not. You're resourceful. As you always were." He calmly held her gaze. "Are you here for revenge?"

"What do you think?" Blue retorted again.

Pryce examined her expression for a short while. "It doesn't seem like it. You look like you want something from me. An answer, perhaps, to a question you've been asking yourself."

Blue steadily dropped her glare. She couldn't help it, as she felt as if tears were about to well in her eyes. The fact that Pryce knew her best… … This man knew her better than her parents…

"… You know best…"

Pryce slowly nodded. "Of course." He slowly moved towards a shelf in the other side of the room. "So… what are you here for?"

"… You came back from the temporal void," Blue started. "… You must've seen many alternate futures. Silver told me that you saw an alternate future where the world got destroyed and you came back to stop it."

Pryce stopped moving things on the shelf and let out a long sigh. "I see… you came for _that_…"

"I have to know," Blue said after a sigh of her own. "What was my life like, if you had never kidnapped me?"

Pryce slowly turned to face her once again. "… That doesn't sound like a question you'd ask. You never looked back on the lost possibilities of the past. Why ask now?"

Pryce's Swinub created a chair made of ice and Blue sat down on it. It didn't feel cold, oddly. So the skills of the old Mask of Ice remained.

"… I need to know," she said. "I need to know how much you screwed me by kidnapping me. Or whether you saved me instead."

Pryce simply examined her expression. "What's bothering you?"

Blue's vision blurred a little. "… Just tell me, damn it."

Pryce sighed and tapped his Swinub. "Show her."

The Swinub proceeded to create and animate a large ice sculpture in front of Blue. Just like in the old days under the Mask of Ice, it instantly thawed and refroze water particles to make it look like the sculptures were moving. And right now, the sculptures were… models of Blue. The Swinub was showing Blue an animated version of what her life would've been like, if she was never kidnapped. The other sculptures were showing different things to show setting. Like a sign that read "Pallet Town".

The ice-Blue lived in Pallet Town. She did not have a Pokédex, and as such, never met Red or Green. She had her Jigglypuff, and simply lived her life as a normal girl. With happy and friendly parents. She lived day to day without purpose, but with plenty of reasons to be happy. She even had a boyfriend. A nice guy who lived next door. He showed her plenty of care and love, sometimes excessively. In short, she always had a smile on her lips and had no reason to get upset over anything.

Blue watched her would-be life. … It was infinitely greater than her current life… She let out a sigh and buried her face into her hands.

"… I'm sorry," Pryce said quietly.

"I would've had… everything… I ever wanted," Blue muttered. "… Everything…" She soon forced herself to calm down. "… Pointless… I shouldn't have asked… I was afraid it would be this way…" She looked over at Pryce and thought about what to say for a second. "… What about Silver? The only way you can justify my kidnapping would be Silver."

"He grows up to be the head of Team Rocket," Pryce said. "Evil. And like his father."

Blue nodded. "… If you kidnapped him but not me?"

"He would not have survived," Pryce said quietly.

"If I never escaped with him?"

"You both snap," said the old man. "He becomes like Will. You, like Karen."

"… I see…"

"Kidnapping you and Silver was the best for him," Pryce said. "You know that. You always sacrificed yourself in some way for his benefit. This is no exception. But it doesn't justify in kidnapping you. And I'm sorry."

"Apologies won't fix my life," Blue snapped. "So save it. As long as Silver's life is much better now than what could have been, I'll accept it. Besides, pondering over those past possibilities is pointless. You taught me that." She let out another long sigh. "… So… my life's purpose has been fulfilled, is that right? I was kidnapped to ensure Silver survived in his kidnapping, and that he won't turn evil. I escaped with him to make sure that he didn't snap and had a chance at a normal life. Now, he's happy and in the bright life. So I'm done. Useless. Is that right? I completed my purpose? All that's left for me is a pointless death?"

"That doesn't sound like you," Pryce said again. "You're usually willing to fight challenges and problems and overcome them. Not give up."

Blue looked into his eyes, suddenly feeling as if she was as old as he was. "… I'm tired of fighting. Tired of struggling. Tired of living only to taste disappointment… I just want to end it all. … What would happen if I die? Would it affect Silver badly?"

"Think of the reasoning behind your actions. You did everything for his sake. How would he react if you died? And how would he react if he found out why you died?"

"… So I have to keep on living in this pointless life… for his sake? That's my destiny?"

Pryce went towards the shelf once again. "Of course not. You can be happy. It all depends on what you do. You would know better than me. After all, you would've considered every possibility. But why are you asking me all of this? Why not discuss with your friends? I'd imagine that you'd have trouble making friends after what I did, but you have them now. Not to mention, you reunited with your parents."

"Stop rubbing it in, old man," Blue snapped again. "My so-called friends and family are worth nothing to me. And I'm worth even less to them. The only reason I'm here is because you were more of a father to me than my real dad. And you were more of a friend to me than my so-called friends apart from Red. You were harsh. Cold. Brutal. And very cruel. But at the same time, you taught me. You trained me, and made me prepare for the world. And you gave me a purpose in life. … I need you to do that again. I need a purpose other than keeping Silver in the bright life. You've seen all sorts of future possibilities. Including my life. I need you to tell me what I can do so I can finally be happy."

Pryce took out something from the shelf. "Sometimes, the correct answer is not the most obvious one." He approached Blue once more and gave her the object he held. "Sometimes, thinking cold and rational can show you the way. Remember how you used to be."

Blue stared at the object in her hand. … It was her mask. From the days under the Mask of Ice.

"Detach yourself emotionally," Pryce said as he returned to working on the ice sculpture. "Don't waste time thinking about all sorts of possibilities. They are merely pointless worries. You know this already. But remember. Don't abandon your friends. That's all I can tell you."

Blue stared at the mask for a long while, suddenly remembering those nightmarish days in perfect clarity. But at the same time, she remembered how… calm she was. She put the mask on over her face. The old familiar feeling was returning. She rose to her feet and felt around her mask once more.

"… Thank you," she said to Pryce. "… If I need you again…"

"You know where I'll be."

…

Blue visited Pryce once more. It was odd, sad, and ironic that she visited him more often than anyone else recently. And he was the nicest to her as well.

"How do you do it?" Blue asked abruptly as she sat down on the ice chair once more.

Pryce looked up from the sculpture he was making. "Hm? Do what?"

"Your thoughts," Blue elaborated. "You've done horrible things in the past. How do you escape those thoughts? How do you stop your memories from haunting you?"

Pryce looked back down at the sculpture. "This. I lose myself in creating something that requires a careful and delicate touch."

Blue took a glance around the room. There were many sculptures here and there. All Ice type Pokémon, majority of which were Lapras. For obvious reasons.

"Maybe you'd like to try," Pryce said. His Swinub created a large block of ice and set it in front of Blue. The old man then gave her his sculpting tools. "Just make whatever that comes to mind."

Blue took the tools and stared at the block of ice. What came to her mind first? … Green, of course. She focused on her memories of him and began to sculpt. She had never done this before, so she took things very slowly, carving a little bit at a time. Pryce simply watched her silently.

Hours passed by and neither said a word. Blue kept on sculpting until Green's face looked rather realistic on the block of ice.

"Very good," Pryce said at last. "Did it work?"

Blue blinked a few times and stared at Green's face on the ice block. She suddenly narrowed her eyes and purposely hammered the ice block, completely shattering it. She took a shuddering breath and set the tools on the table to her side.

"Yes… it worked for the duration. But… is there anything more portable? I can't come here every time I want to escape my thoughts."

"Perhaps you can draw on a sketchbook," Pryce suggested. "There are many hobbies out there that you can take up to escape your thoughts. Painting or drawing also requires a delicate touch. Think of those masterpieces that exist. Some took years to complete."

Blue slowly nodded. "Drawing… yes, I think I can do that. And I can take it with me wherever I go." She rose to her feet as she wanted to go home now. "Thank you again."

Pryce nodded. "If you need me again, you know where I'll be."

Blue nodded once more and silently left, knowing that one day, she'll be back again to seek comfort and advice from the man who started it all.

* * *

><p><strong>A short chapter, but I don't think this chapter has to be that long.<strong>

**I will try to get that Sabrina chapter up for the next SC update. It's kind of long. Let's hope it goes well!**


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